I took off my own wet one as I spoke, and threw it over the back of a chair. Then, receiving no answer to my request, I looked at my host. His back was half towards me, and he was staring into the hall outside. He stood quite motionless, and as apparently he had failed to hear me, I was on the point of repeating my remark when he turned and spoke to me again.
"A pleasant surprise for my wife, sir, don't you think? She was not expecting me home until to-morrow morning."
"Very," I assented....
"Eight miles have I walked, in order to prevent her being alone. That should answer your remark about her feeling the loneliness."
He peered at me fixedly, and I again assented.
"Most considerate of you," I murmured, "most considerate."
But the man only chuckled by way of answer, and, swinging round, continued to stare into the gloomy, filthy hall.
Outside the storm was increasing in fury. Flash followed flash with such rapidity that the whole sky westwards formed into a dancing sheet of flame, while the roll of the thunder seemed like the continuous roar of a bombardment with heavy guns. But I was aware of it only subconsciously; my attention was concentrated on the gaunt man standing so motionless in the centre of the room. So occupied was I with him that I never heard his wife's approach until suddenly, looking up, I saw that by the door there stood a woman—a woman who paid no attention to me, but only stared fearfully at her husband, with a look of dreadful terror in her eyes. She was young, far younger than the man—and pretty in a homely, countrified way. And as she stared at the gaunt, cadaverous husband she seemed to be trying to speak, while ceaselessly she twisted a wisp of a pocket-handkerchief in her hands.
"I didn't expect you home so soon, Rupert," she stammered at length. "Have you had a good day?"
"Excellent," he answered, and his eyes seemed to glow more fiendishly than ever. "And now I have come home to my little wife, and her loving welcome."